ANIMAL FARM

In France. Not much to do here so I made bracelets out my horses' hair and painted the sheep. CW

A bangle for each horse - Naos (Chestnut), Fairbanks (Bay) and Scarlet (Grey)

Scarlet le unicorn horse

Indian Princesses

CHANELO

I have noticed that there seems to be a trend of ripping off designer brands logos. Most notably Chanel. A while ago I got chatting to the owner of SICK London, a shop on Redchurch Street near brick lane. He had just started selling his custom made Chanel T-shirts and tank tops which he had previously designed in the 80s. Back then he was forced to shut down production due to copyright. Yet his logic was that why shouldn't he make them if Chanel never was going to. The White sweatshirt above is one of his designs. Last week I also saw this Chanel plastic bag in an art gallery which I thought was pretty funny. It reminds me of when I saw someone had tipexed iPod on a portable tape player.

In addition to these examples the Skate label Palace also created T-shirts with designer emblems such as Versace. I like the way that people are able to reclaim notoriously exclusive brands and apply their own meaning to these symbols of aspiration. By changing the labels or material on which these logos are placed they almost invert the original meaning and make us question our allegiance to brands due to visual conditioning. FC

Links: http://www.viceland.com/fashion/2009/12/sick-shop/

http://palaceskateboards.com/

WORKING GIRL

I have recently started work experience in the office of an advertising company and although I don't always enjoy the tasks set I do like having to dress relatively smart. My new temporary vocation has meant I have had to route through my wardrobe to find passable items without scruffy sleeves or moth holes. During this process I have discovered numerous forgotten gems and have promised myself to wear more of the vast collection I have amassed. Rule number 1 my camel coat can not be worn every day. Oops. FC

Shoes - Office, Trousers- Mango, Jumper- Burberry, Coat - Topshop, Scarf - Primark, Bag - Ted Baker

CAMEL CRAZY

A glimpse of my wardrobe after my New York trip. One of the best things I found there was a tan leather oversized aviator jacket with rabbit fur collar and black leather trim. Only $20! ( from an amazing vintage shop I stumbled upon on my last day, in Brooklyn on Knickerbocker and Flushing Ave.) CW

MAD COW

My friend Jamie wrestling a bull in Tribeca in Pleasure Principle slashed knee jeans, vintage leather jacket and boots. CW

SPIRAL

The threeASFOUR S/S '11 show in Forsyth park. Amazing show! The models walked out of a fabric spiral which had images projected onto it. Some really beautiful dresses. CW

LABEL OF LOVE

Our new labels have finally arrived and aren't they lovely.

RUNWAY

Behind the scenes at the A Détacher Spring/Summer '11 show, New York Fashion Week. CW

BEE MINE

Claudia has a beautiful bee pendant necklace which I covet. Stephen Einhorn a bespoke jewellers on Upper Street in Islington also a great one on a long chain. As I can not afford it I have tried to create my own. FC

DEAD OR ALIVE?

Taxidermy is everywhere at the moment.  I was impressed by the "Dead or Alive" exhibition at the New York Museum of Art and Design, in which artists show how death can appear beautiful, and that there can be death without decay. Works included an entire wall made of rooster tail feathers which was irresistible to touch, drawings of skulls made from tiny pieces of cut up insect parts, and a stuffed pigeon hanging out of the mouth of a skull covered in beetle shells. One of my favourite pieces was the display of two rough uncut diamonds, each surrounded by a pile of blue or green feathers. These had once been a pair of budgerigars, Bubi and Hansi, who had been transformed into the stones and preserved in this way.

Mad Cow Motorcycle by Billie Grace Lynn

Kate MccGuire makes pigeon feathers look like brush strokes

Iris Schieferstein's Hoof Boots

Reid Peppard

My Pamela Love necklace cast from a human tooth and my Frank and Easy crab ring

This trend in the art world has also found its way into fashion. The extravagance of thick furs and luscious feathers have always appealed to me, but recently the odd craze of replicating the anatomies of animals, and in some cases incorporating stuffed body parts, has really seeped into trends. Reid Peppard not long ago created a bizarre but effective series of taxidermy jewelry including a stuffed mouse head bow tie and a stuffed rat headband. Pamela Love is famous for her jewelry based on human and animal teeth and claws.

There was even talk of a brooch made of a live cockroach encrusted with swarovski crystals and pinned down with a small silver leash so that it could walk around your garment. CW

THE RETURN OF STYLE TO TV

 Most of the clothes on TV aren't worth writing about. Although last night I really liked the style of the main skin head girl Frances in This is England '86. For her wedding she wore a checked shirt buttoned to the neck and a man's boxy jacket along with DMs, straight leg trousers and Fred Perry cardigan. This combined with her cropped platinum hair made her look so beautiful and in some ways more feminine than people who wear a lot of florals and bows so that they look 'pretty.' I think the line between androgeny and looking masculine is an interesting one to play with. Wearing cuts that don't particular highlight the parts of your body that people associate with being womanly create interesting shapes. The trouble is they can be so different they become unflattering like much of eighties power dressing. My new obssession with my camel coat makes me think that some days I might look like a bad verson of Diane Keaton in Woody Allen's Annie Hall but when I wear it I am actually trying for a very different look.

The person who I would prefer to emulate with my coat, although this is impossible, is Betty Draper from Mad Men. She is so well dressed and although the plot of the program is amazing, I half watch it for the women's outfits. I preferred when in the Second Season she was riding a lot and they dressed her in these great cropped jackets instead of her fifties style dresses. The photo of me below and my equestrian style belt a la Betty.

  

My favourite ever Mad Men outfit is from the episode from Season 3 when Betty and Don go to Italy and she gets this amazing up do and runs Audrey Hepburn for her money.

 

I can't wait for Mad Men to start tonight! FC

FASHION AVENUE

A trip round the New York garment district brought me to this wonderful vintage flower shop where everything was unique. The flowers are mostly made from fabrics such as velvet and silk. I couldn't resist an impromptu making session in Madison Square Park. I chose the colours to go with my Miu Miu sequined bag. CW

THE ONLY LIVING GIRL IN NEW YORK

I've got nothing to do today but smile.

I saw this amazing crochet bike today outside the Acne store (my favourite shop in New York) on Greene and Canal. It was gone by the time I came back out. CW

TAN, FAWN, TAUPE, ITS ALL BEIGE

I am so obsessed with this coat. Its from Topshop and is the best thing ever. It seems to go with everything and I love the slouchy cut. I think beige is my new fav colour which is a bit tragic and middle aged? T-Shirt- M & S, Leather Shorts- Primark, Shoes- Urban Outfitters.

Nail Colour- Barry M (Mushroom), could be Chanel.. Also I designed this love bracelet. They are in the style of school labels. I also sew silk flowers onto them too. Should be on the new website whenever we get it up. FC

LIFE IN TECHNICOLOUR